Granton Samboja loses governorship race

Taita-Taveta County Governor Granton Samboja addressing congregants at Marungu ACK Church in Voi on November 3, 2019. [Renson Mnyamwezi, Standard]

Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja has lost his re-election bid.

Samboja, who contested on Jubilee Party ticket, lost to independent candidate Andrew Mwadime, who is the current Mwatate Member of Parliament.

Samboja got 23,701 votes against Mwadime's 49,901.

Former Taita Taveta Governor John Mruttu, who ran on the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket, came third with 13,865 votes.

The race attracted 13 candidates, with former Voi MP Dan Mwazo getting 11,543 votes to take the fourth position.

Samboja, a first-term governor, won the August 8, 2017 General Election on Wiper Party ticket.